


Candy Canes and Silver Lanes

by MoonlightShines (Thatkillervibe)



Series: 12 Days of Killervibe 2018 [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 12 days of killervibe 2018, AU, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anyways, Christmas, Elves, F/M, Fairies, Fluff, Ice Queen, Jack Frost - Freeform, Magic, Royalty, Santa Claus - Freeform, Snow Queen - Freeform, and Christmas sayings, and that is how Santa is able to deliver so many toys to all of the children in the world, big red suit and everything, did someone say Disney movie?, fun stuff, holiday fic, in which the flash is Santa, it all fits, mythical creatures, snow fairies, so many winter puns, sorta - Freeform, this is SO CUTESY, yes Caitlin is an actual Disney Princess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-23 20:50:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17087510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatkillervibe/pseuds/MoonlightShines
Summary: In which Star Labs is actually Santa's Workshop.Written for 12 Days of Killervibe





	1. Chapter 1

Cisco took a great deep breath and then released it, remembering the tips and tricks Mrs. Claus would swear by when he found his self-feeding bird feeder prototype smashed to pieces on his workshop’s bright red and white coloured floor. 

 

He left for a hot chocolate and a candy cane break, then got distracted by Dasher the reindeer. Dasher wanted carrots, okay? How was Cisco to deny him that? 

  
  
But his hard work broken on the ground? That is. Not. Nice. 

  
Cisco clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides, smoke fuming from his ears like a Donald Duck cartoon. 

  
  
“Oh  _Ralph!_ ” He sing-songed in his required very merry, holly jolly tune. 

  
  
Cisco was not surprised at the lack of response so he made his way across his workshop to use the speaker system bugle.

 

 “Ralph, please report to Head Toy Expert’s station immediately. Please!” He crooned sweetly into the microphone, then stomped back to his seat.

  
  
Santa Claus and his goddamn historic very merry employment language policy. 

  
  
Sometimes a Santa’s Helper really wants to let out a nice expletive without fearing making the naughty list, y’know? 

  
  
Cisco had to go back to the wood room now and start from scratch. 

  
  
Not to mention the other twelve point six  _thousand_ toys he still had to make today. 

  
  
It’s been many years since Cisco got his job here at Santa’s Land. Unbeknownst to him at the time, a spry young Cisco walked into Star Labs, Central City USA for his first post grad job interview oblivious to how it would change his life.

 

  
How was Cisco supposed to know he walked into Santa’s Toy Emporium and that Star Labs was in fact an allegory for  _Santa’s_  Lab in Santa Land?

  
  
Cisco wasn’t saying that he regrets his decisions, no of course not. He’s the world’s headmaster of toys. He practically engineered revolutionary magic of the 21st century and innovated Santa’s traditional reindeer suit and sleigh. 

  
  
Cisco was dang proud of himself, was what he was. And not aging a minute in twenty something years, that’s a pretty awesome perk too.

  
  
Oh sure, finding out that the Santa Claus they all grew up staying up late to watch come down their chimney was a big evil murdering fraud was no fun, but that was all ancient history. 

  
  
Barry was the true Santa, married to his Iris, their dutiful Mrs. Claus. Cisco stood as second in command, and no, that didn’t mean that he was an elf or that he worked with permanently prepubescent children. That was a myth (however, the more Cisco worked with Ralph Dibny, the more he started to doubt that fact). The elves who worked under him were perfectly grown adults, kept to themselves, and were in fact, not all that small. 

  
  
There was a knock on his workstation’s door and Cisco turned to give Ralph a very strictly polite piece of his mind when he froze, finger raised mid scold to find snowflakes dancing in the air and an army of miniature snow fairies fluttering around.

  
  
“Hi Cisco,” A voice greeted him. How could someone so cold sound so sweet? Shouldn’t her presence be making him shiver? But no, the temperature spiked hot as Cisco felt the red blush rise in his cheeks. 

  
  
“Oh! Hi Caitlin.” Oh gumdrops. He sounded like melted butter. 

  
  
Caitlin, Mother Frost, the Queen of Snow and daughter of Jack Frost was by far Cisco’s favourite thing about Santa Land. 

  
  
Too bad he was too bashful to let her know. 

  
  
A snow fairy landed on his shoulder, and looked up at him with a sad little face and squeaked. 

  
  
“What’s the matter, little one?” Cisco wondered, running his pinky delicately against the span of its wing. 

  
  
Caitlin frowned at the snow fairy and skated across the floor, touching his other shoulder with her icy hands.

  
  
Could she tell how hot she made him? He must be scorching to her fingers. 

  
  
“I thought you were Ralph. How was your day?”

  
  
Caitlin didn’t answer him, eyes glued to the floor where her swarm of fairies were surrounding the tragedy. Her hands flew to her mouth.

 

“Oh no!” she cried. “Your automatic bird feeder! That was your proudest invention yesterday!”

  
  
“You remember that?” Cisco asked, astonished. 

  
  
She picked up the smashed prototype and considered it.

 

 “Of course I do,” she said absently.

  
  
“But I make five hundred  _thousand_  toys per day.”  

  
  
She looked up. “And I create every single snowflake in the world to be individual and unique.” 

  
  
“Who did this?” 

  
  
Cisco tapped his fingers against his workstation. “Ralph was the last one in my workshop. It’s why I called him on the bugle.”

  
  
Caitlin’s eyes narrowed the slightest bit, and Cisco watched as her fairies rose to her defense. 

  
  
They made some noise and she waved at them, dissatisfied with their demands. “No,” she hissed, “Ralph is our friend.” 

  
  
More chatter. 

  
  
“Well maybe, but innocent until proven guilty—“ She stopped to listen to them. 

 

“No, that doesn’t warrant the naughty list!” 

 

She shot Cisco a helpless look and Cisco covered his hand over his mouth to hide his laughter. 

  
  
“I have a much more suitable solution, don’t you think?” She told her fairies, looking down at the toy in her hand. 

  
  
Cisco watched as all of the splintered wood began to rise in the air and reassembled themselves into their respective slots, fitting together with frost acting as superglue. 

  
  
Snow Magic. Cisco never grew tired of it. 

  
  
She presented him the bird feeder and he accepted it graciously. 

  
  
“It won’t fix the robotic mechanics of it obviously, but the integrity of the structure itself should hold.”

  
  
“Thank you,” Cisco breathed, hugging it to his chest. It should have felt cool against his red velvet jacket, but his insides were bubbling with warmth. 

  
  
A long rubbery hand slid its way through the door, then was promptly pushed back out by the snow fairies. 

  
  
“Cisco, You called? The door is locked!”

  
  
Cisco and Caitlin turned to the fairies, who were looking around the workroom with nonchalance, as if they didn’t just lock Ralph out in front of their very eyes. 

  
  
Caitlin gave them a stern look. “What have I said about innocent until proven guilty?” 

  
  
The fairy on Cisco’s shoulder flew to the door, struggling to open the handle. 

  
  
Caitlin lent it a hand. 

  
  
In strolled Ralph. “Ooh. Mother Frost!” 

  
  
Ralph bowed at her and Caitlin’s eyes widened. She took a step back, taken aback.

  
  
“How many times must I ask of you to please not do that?”

  
  
“But you’re a queen!” Ralph insisted. 

  
  
Cisco sighed and plopped down in his work chair.

 

_Yes she was_ , he had to remind himself. Royal, immortal, and wayyyy out of his league.

 

  
“So what’s up Cisco?” Ralph inquired, then noticed Cisco’s bird feeder. 

  
  
“Oh. That. I meant to tell you! It was an honest mistake I swear!”

  
  
Caitlin squeezed Cisco’s shoulder, “I’m afraid I have to go, I have to drop a chill in Colorado and a storm in Quebec. I’ll see you at dinner with Santa?” 

  
  
Cisco nodded mutely, watching her go. Her fairies were reluctant to leave, some clinging to Cisco’s shoes. He shook them free and Caitlin had to usher them out of the workstation. 

  
  
All the anger that had Cisco’s blood boiling has since dissipated. He glanced down at his mended prototype, and smiled at the frost. 

  
  
He had the biggest stupid crush. 

  
  
“It’s okay, Ralph,” he found himself saying, “No harm crying over spilt milk and cookies.” 

  
  
Ralph waggled his eyebrows at him, absolutely aware of what just happened. 

  
  
Cisco sighed again. His gigantic crush on Mother Frost rivaled Rudolph’s very shiny nose. 

  
  
“Tell anyone and I’ll snitch about your alcohol smuggling to Iris.” 

  
  
Ralph chuckled nervously, raising his endless mug of hot chocolate. “To secrets that will never ever  _ever_  leave this workstation,” he quickly replied. 

  
  
See? For a reformed Naughty List kid, sometimes Ralph could be smart.

 

Cisco clinked his forgotten hot chocolate mug sitting on his desk with Ralph’s.  

  
  
“Ho ho ho to that!” 


	2. Much Mistletoeing (And Hearts Will Be Glowing)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 7 years later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be short and sweet. 
> 
> Well...It’s still sweet. Short, not so much.

Something was forcing his eyelids open.

  
  
Cisco fell out of deep sleep, his visions of sugar plums disappearing as he took in his surroundings. He was slumped against his workstation, seemingly having collapsed there after Barry made it successfully to American Samoa. He wiped away some drool. He was exhausted. As they all always were, following the 24th of December in every timezone of the world.

  
  
A snow fairy sat on his table, waiting expectantly for Cisco to fully awaken.

  
  
Cisco narrowed his eyes. “You couldn’t have just let me sleep?”

  
  
The fairy shook its head. Cisco looked around, slightly horrified at how disastrously chaotic his workstation has become over the last month. Screwdrivers and ribbons and bows and pouches of Santa’s Speed Force matter scattered everywhere. It looked like a Christmas horror story.

  
  
That was....Not today’s problem.

  
  
It took Cisco a bit longer than it should have to realize something was amiss.

  
  
“Why are you here alone?” He asked the snow fairy. That must have meant Caitlin was nearby, right?

  
  
The snow fairy chirped, and Cisco wished, not for the first time, that he could understand them.

  
  
Panic stirred in his chest.

  
  
“Is Mother Frost okay?”

  
  
He got up too quickly, swaying on his feet.

  
  
The systems in their tracking algorithms should be able to detect cold fronts of the world. Cisco walked briskly to the Holiday Cortex, dark and deserted save for a few workaholic elves swapping gifts under the massive tree.

  
  
He fiddled with the cold signatures on the monitors, and sighed with relief to find that there was no abnormal warming—Which would indicate Caitlin was missing—Nor were there any brutishly oppressive ice storms—The work of her father.

  
  
He side-glanced at the fairy.

 

“She’s fine, isn’t she?”

  
  
Of course she was fine. She’s an almighty 200 year old Snow Queen.

 

“But she’ll be back soon, right?”

 

The fairy made another sound. He’ll assume it was an affirmation.

  
  
Cisco threw off his circa 1971 Santa hat and tossed it at the elves. They caught it, and looked at him excitedly.

  
  
“Keep it,” Cisco mumbled, “I’ve got 10 more in the Time Vault.”

  
  
The snow fairy flapped its wings, and curled up on top of Cisco’s head, using his hair as a blanket.

  
  
Cisco yawned and kicked off his boots. He leaned his face against the slanted screen monitor, using the surface as a makeshift pillow. “Yeah...” He fought to keep his eyes open, “I’ll just wait here and take a little rest...”

  
  
~.~

  
  
The soothing touch of fingers ran along his cheek.

  
  
Cisco blinked awake and gave a soft, slow smile.

  
  
“What are you doing sleeping against the Cortex monitor, hmm?”

  
  
Oh holy night. She looked like an angel.

  
  
She was in full Mother Frost mode. Eyes icy violet, hair soft curly grey. She had crystals hanging off her eyelashes and ears, with snowflakes still gently falling around her silhouette.

 

She was at her fullest power, her strongest capacity for snow producing. And she had the potential to be ruthless, to be a terrifying threat to the world. The way she was raised to by her father.

 

But she wasn’t that. She chose to be different from Jack Frost, and different to people of this world. She worked overtime to make white Christmases and safe snow days instead. Where she made ice there was compassion, and where she made frost there was love.

  
  
“I was waiting for you.”

  
  
Caitlin brushed some sleet off her dress.

 

“You didn’t have to. You knew I had to make a proportionate amount of—“

 

“—Gentle White Christmases to counteract your father,” he finished with her.

 

She stopped.  

 

“Well then you know that it takes some time. All of Canada. All of Russia.”

 

He gave her a sheepish look. “I know.”

 

“Well,” she said then. Caitlin scooped up the sleeping snow fairy from Cisco’s head.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Cisco tickled the little fairy in her hands.

  
  
“Why’s that fairy not out with its friends?”

  
  
A funny look crossed her face.

  
  
“I sent it to keep you company.”

 

“Why?”

 

Caitlin averted her eyes, and Cisco watched as her hair slowly turned to brown in the earthly image she prefered best. She stood up from where she were crouched in front of him. Her long silky dress swishing across the floor. Only then did she notice the elves.

 

“Oh hello,” she said to them, “I didn’t notice you there, how terribly rude of me. Merry Christmas! You’ve done such a wonderful job this year!”

 

The elves gave her a wave. “Thank you Mother Frost!”

 

“It’s Christmas,” she said finally to Cisco and took his hand to pull him up out of his seat. “You must be so tired. You made all those beautiful toys. Let’s get you to bed.”

 

Cisco felt himself begin to snooze against her, too deliriously zonked to hide how comfortable he felt to be so close.

 

Caitlin’s laugh echoed off the walls.

 

The last thing Cisco remembered was being picked up by Mother Frost and getting carried away, falling asleep to the gentle hum of snow fairies.

 

~.~

 

A long nap and a caffeinated apple cider later, Cisco polished his dress shoes and fixed his red tie in front of his mirror. Santa’s Thank You Dinner was Santa Land’s biggest, most formal celebration. It was on every Christmas evening to honour all the hard work done throughout the last twelve months. And then, the best part, a three week break for all until they start over again in the New Year.

 

He walked into the Festive Ballroom and admired its beauty. The elves have done fantastic decorating, the entire place littered with nutcrackers, silver bells and gold.

 

He was a little late, having slept in, and so when he approached Barry and Iris, they were already in deep conversation with Santa Claus and Mr. Claus from Earth 2.

 

Cisco slung his arm around Barry’s shoulder. “Hi Santa.” He winked at Jesse, “Santa.”

 

He watched Wally preen with pride at his wife, like a true Mr. Claus. Cisco grinned. Newlyweds were so cute.

 

“So I heard the Christmas Eve delivery this year was a success on both Earths. No evil reindeers, no sleigh malfunctions.”

Cisco still got nightmares from that last one. 

Barry laughed jollily, slipping his arm from Iris’s waist to reel Cisco in for a hug. “The toys were just absolutely magnificent this year. You’ve done an excellent job.”

 

Iris nodded. She was wearing a stunning blue and white gown that had the names of the world’s top three million nicest children embroidered in tiny golden script along the skirt. It took a moment or two for Cisco to take that in. He would have to ask  her who designed it, because that was some seriously intricate Santa Speed Force matter put to good use. 

 “Oh Cisco, the black doll that you made in my image was so beautiful. I wish I had toys like that growing up.”

 

Cisco shook his head humbly, “Only trying to restore the damage of EoWells.”

 

It was true. Thawne as Santa was too obsessed with trying to manipulate the Santa Speed Force as opposed to maintaining the quality of toycraft and knowing what children needed.

 

“Got any stories?”

 

Jesse’s eyes lit up. “A kid climbed into my sleigh when I was in Poland. I had to use hypnotism to get him back in bed and forget that any of it happened.”

 

”Noooo!” exclaimed Barry. “A kid saw me too and asked why I wasn’t fat with white hair and a long beard.”

 

“That’s because all of the Santa art emerged from the early 19th century when Santa really did sort of look like that.” Cisco piped up, throwing in some trivia from the Santa museum everyone seemed to forgot existed.

 

Barry put his arm back around Mrs. Claus.

 “You’d still love me if I looked like that, right?”

 

Iris coughed, turning to her brother and stage-whispered, “Let’s not think about what ifs.”

 

Wally snickered.

 

Cisco spun on his heel. “Hey, has anyone seen Caitlin?”

 

“I’m here.”

 

They all turned around, and there she was, walking towards them in a sparkling silver and white sequined evening gown. Her brown hair was put up in waterfall braids, resting against her shoulders.

 

There were no words for how she looked.

 

“Merry Christmas, everyone.”

 

She hugged them all one by one. When Cisco pulled away from their embrace she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

 

“How was your nap? Sweet dreams?”

 

Cisco tried his very hardest not to swoon.

 

“The sweetest.”

 

“Good,” she said softly, then startled at Wally’s howl of laughter.

 

The unmistakable sound of snow fairies thrummed around them.

 

Caitlin’s mouth parted, her eyes fixed above.  
  
Cisco looked up and his face went hot.

 

“Silly fairies.”

 

There was a branch of mistletoe hovering over their heads that had distinctly _not_ been there four minutes ago.

 

Cisco pointedly ignored Barry and Iris’s excited giggling as his heart pounded in his chest.

 

His eyes met with Caitlin’s who seemed stuck in place.

 

“Hey, don’t worry about it. We don’t have to--”

 

Caitlin interrupted him, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

 

Cisco’s eyes widened.

 

Her lips were velvet on his skin.

 

He probably died on the spot.

 

“It’s tradition,” she whispered in his ear, then retreated.

 

Cisco tried to work his mouth open to say something, but couldn’t quite manage it.

 

Caitlin studied his face like she was searching for something.

 

“I—“ he said, then got interrupted by Ralph.

 

Goddamn Ralph. Why was Ralph even still here? His community service as a Santa’s Helper for his Crimes Against Santa and long servitude on the Naughty List were long passed fulfilled.

 

“Dinner is served!” Ralph announced, opening the doors to the dining reception with a sweeping motion.

 

The moment was lost. Caitlin took a step back, and began conversing seriously with her snow fairies.

 

Cisco ignored Iris’s pitying looks as they walked to their seats at the head table.

 

Yeah, he knew he was pathetic, he didn’t need Mrs. Claus’s cheerful advice to remind him.

 

A few fairies followed Cisco to his seat, despite Caitlin being assigned a chair several feet away.

 

He sat down after Santa and twirled his straw in the peppermint shake. The fairies stared at him judgmentally, like they wanted to start an argument.

 

He stared at them back helplessly.

 

Barry, who was at his side, glanced over and gave Cisco a funny look.

 

“What’s with Mother Frost’s snow fairies?”

 

Cisco shook one off of his fork as he tried to take a bite of turkey. “I don’t know. It’s like they imprinted on me or something.”

 

“They can probably sense it, you know.”

 

Cisco swallowed his mash potatoes down roughly.

 

“Sense what?”

 

“Your love,” Santa said gently, “They’re fairies. They’re attracted to it.”

 

Cisco deposited his fork, staring straight ahead.

 

“It’s been how many years you’ve been in love with her?”

 

Cisco could barely meet his best friend’s eyes.

 

16 years. Sixteen very long years.

 

“I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”

 

Barry levelled him a look. “Cisco. I’m Santa. I know what’s in your heart. What you want most for Christmas.”

 

He glanced to the side, watching Mother Frost chatter happily with Iris’ and Wally’s father.

 

“But she’s not human. You don’t know that she wants the same.”

 

Barry snapped his fingers and a Christmas card appeared. Cisco took it. Barry’s version of a consolation prize?

 

Barry took a long sip of hot chocolate as Cisco tore open the envelope.

 

It was a standard Santa Land card that read:

 

‘You better not pout

You better not cry

You better not shout

I’m telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to

_Tell you to ask Mother Frost out already!’_

  


Cisco was unimpressed.

 

“Hey, I’m not Cupid,” Barry defended himself. “I don’t know if I can watch this happen for another sixteen years.”

 

“ _Barry_ ,” Iris chided from Santa’s other side. “That’s not fair.”

 

“No, he’s right.” Cisco got up from the table abruptly. He wasn’t hungry anymore. “Excuse me.”

 

He passed several tables in a hurry, trying to outrun the fairies that followed, and a few elves stopped to ask if he was okay.

 

“Fine,” he’d always respond, tripping over red garland, or sometimes his own two feet.

 

He jammed his finger on the elevator button to leave in the hallway.

 

“Cisco.”

 

Cisco spun around to find himself face to face with his feelings. Literally.

 

Caitlin had her arms wrapped around herself. “Leaving so soon?”

 

“Tired,” Cisco said. “Need a little space from the holiday hullabaloo.”

 

“How does Barry keep his energy up after Christmas Eve to stay awake on Christmas day?” she wondered.

 

“Must be all the milk and cookies,” he joked.

 

Caitlin walked into the elevator when it opened.

 

“Coming?”

 

Cisco shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded, stepping in.

 

The elevator music was a Christmas carol. Typical Santa Land.

 

“Do you want to take a walk?”

 

She sounded so hopeful.

 

Cisco gave her a little smile.

 

“Sure.”

 

They walked the streets of Santa Land in silence. It was a little cold, but Cisco didn’t particularly care. Caitlin was still in her sleeveless gown but ditched her heels, choosing to walk in her bare feet instead. Cisco tried his best not to stare. It must be a Mother Frost thing.

 

“I never asked how your travel went,” he said, bumping her shoulder a little, two blocks later.

 

Caitlin bumped back playfully. “It was fine. I ran into my dad in Germany.”

 

“Oh shit. Are you okay? He didn’t try to...”

 

“Turn me into Killer Frost? You really think I would? After all these years?”

 

“No,” Cisco replied immediately. “Caitlin. No. You’re nicer than all of us combined.”

 

It seemed like centuries ago, when Caitlin was younger. Confused and manipulated by Jack Frost and EoWells into depleting the power of the Santa Speed Force and creating havoc on Christmas Eve. When her name was on the top of the Naughty List, and she was someone Cisco, Iris and Barry had to _stop_.

 

He knew why she wore her hair brown. Kept her eyes brown too. She tried to look like one of them, to shake off her bad image. To dispel the myths of Khione and Killer Frost instead of Mother.

 

Like, maybe if she looked more human she’d be loved.

 

Cisco wished she didn’t have to feel that way.  

 

Caitlin nodded, walking along the path.

 

“Yeah. It wasn’t too bad. We had a little spat, but he didn’t undo any of my work. I had to go back to Munich. It’s not supposed to storm much there, but Dad tampered a bit. I had to move some snow blankets around to bodies of water to keep the roads safe.”

 

“That’s good.”

 

“I traveled to Gablenz’s devil bridge and froze the whole thing over for a couple on a midnight stroll. It was beautiful. I stopped to do some thinking there.”

 

Her eyes slid shyly to his face. “It made me think of you, actually. That’s when I sent the fairy.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yeah. A Devil’s bridge. A perfectly symmetrical circle. Just like your wooden train sets and yo-yos.”

 

Cisco wanted to kiss her so badly.

 

“What about you?”

 

“What about me?” Cisco echoed, his stomach fluttering with nervous butterflies.

 

“You love Christmas. I know you’re tired, but you seem a little down.”

 

“Yeaaaah,” he drawled. “It’s not—I’m not down. I’m nervous.”

 

Caitlin began to do some funny hand gestures at someone behind him. Cisco swiveled his head in the same direction. He stopped in his tracks.

 

They’ve got to be kidding.

 

The snow fairies. Back at it again with more mistletoe.

 

Caitlin’s cheeks coloured when Cisco raised an eyebrow. “They never quit, do they?”

 

“I don’t know why they keep doing that,” Caitlin stammered.

 

Cisco took a deep breath. “I do.”

 

He took her chilly hands and wrapped them around his neck.

 

When he kissed her, it was slow and careful. Sixteen years of longing and affection seeping in. Her arms gripped his neck tighter as she inhaled sharply, pushing herself closer.

 

This was everything Cisco had on his wish list and more. Her lips were not warm. But they were not freezing either. Snow whirled around them as Caitlin’s hair turned grey, kissing in the eye of a winter hurricane.

 

Cisco’s ears were ringing, a tinning choral chiming sound.

 

It dawned on him that the snow fairies were singing.

 

Cisco broke the kiss to look up at them.

 

“You sly little creatures. You’re happy now, aren’t you?”

 

Caitlin giggled. “I am too.”

 

Cisco didn’t think his face could possibly soften any more.

 

She leaned her head against his suit jacket, then gasped. She rubbed her hands up and down his sleeves. “You must be so cold!”

 

Cisco’s joy was impalpable. “I promise I’m not.”

 

Caitlin grabbed his face in her hands to kiss him again.

 

Cisco sighed into it.

 

This was bliss. What was that? Fuzzy feelings like warm socks and gumdrops. Rich hot chocolate and the invention of a brand new toy.

 

 _Toys_.

 

“Mmf!” Cisco exclaimed. He kisses the crystals on her nose. “Your present!”

 

“My...What?” Caitlin blinked, smiling dazedly.

 

Cisco snapped his fingers, channelling Santa Speed Force matter.

 

Out popped a little gift bag.

 

“A toy?” She repeated. “For me?”

 

It didn’t matter that she was the Queen of Snow or had a magical legion of fairies.

 

A gift from a loved one would always be special. Always produced barely self-contained excitement.

 

And the joy of giving. It’s why Cisco made toys.

 

She unwrapped the tissue paper and held up the automatic bird feeder.

 

With age, the wood had grown rustic, but it worked good as new. The frost from her Snow Magic, although no longer holding it together, still shimmered in the light.

 

Caitlin was full of wonder. “It’s the bird feeder you made seven years ago that Ralph broke. You kept it?”

 

“Yeah,” Cisco admitted, turning red at the ears. “That was the day I realized what I felt for you was more than a stupid crush.”

 

“Me too,” she said, hugging the bird feeder against her sequined dress.

 

“I repurposed it as a fairy feeder.”

 

The fairies hummed at that, swarming around the toy. They both laughed.

 

Caitlin took his hand, and Cisco realized she wasn’t turning her appearance back.

 

“Come back to the party with me? As my date? If we get back in fifteen minutes we’ll make the annual elf dance off and beat off both Clauses with our moves.”

 

Cisco laced their fingers together.

 

“I’d love to.”

 

 

  
  
  
  
  



	3. Like Gingerbread (I'm Made With Love)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco gets a little...Competitive...about gingerbread house making. Mother Frost loves him anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays   
> This chapter was inspired by @Vibefrost's prompt on tumblr! :)

“And then we finish with the miniature ambulances and firetrucks that have sirens. Questions?”   
  
Cisco pointed at his projector screen which had all forty-two thousand prototype instructions of the toys he invented yesterday. The elves were all nodding along, which was good, it’s not like they’ve been doing this for thirty-nine years or anything.

Dibny rose his hand.

Cisco faked a smile through gritted teeth. “Yes, Ralph?”   
  
“What colours should they be painted?”   
  
“Whatever colour you want. As long as it looks nice.”   
  
That appeased Ralph, who jotted it down in his notebook.   
  
“Ralph,” Cisco started, “You do know you’re no longer required to help with toy assembly. You’re not even a Santa’s Helper anymore. You’re free. You can go home.” He made a shooing gesture.  
  
Ralph frowned. “But why would I want to go home? This is literally the best place on Earth. Free food. Hot chocolate and cookies everyday. Free house. Elves. Magic. Fairies. My gorgeous Ralphie face never gets any wrinkles, and I’ve never had one gray hair since I’ve got here. Sorry Disney World.”   
  
Well deck the halls. He wasn’t wrong. 

  
There was a light knock on the door.   
  
“So,” Cisco clapped his hands as he walked to the door. “Let’s get on it people!”   
  
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Caitlin said after stealing a kiss.   
  
“Oh no,” Cisco smiled, walking her backwards against the wall of the hallway. “Interrupt me,” he murmured. “Please do.”   
  


“Just got home,” She breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I missed you.”   
  
Mother Frost had left Santa Land for three weeks to tour the Southern Hemisphere, specifically to investigate how to combat the degradation of wildlife habitat due to climate change and Antarctica's rising temperature.

  
They’ve been married for almost a year, the giant clock in the Holiday Cortex counting down the minutes until their anniversary. Separation was hard. Cisco craved Caitlin’s cold (warmth) like a madman, so he threw himself into work, spending up half of the nights finishing next month’s deadlines instead of sleeping.

The snow fairies that kept visiting him to bestow light kisses on his cheek on her behalf were something to keep him going, but not enough to stop his heart yearning for his soulmate.

That’s what they were, Caitlin quietly informed him a few months into dating. It’s why the fairies were so persistent. Cisco remembered the latin lesson she gave him about that. How the word fairies came from the latin word  _fātum_ which meant fate. How they knew that Cisco and Caitlin were each other’s destiny.

Cisco didn’t need fairies to know that was true.

“My wife, the penguin hero,” Cisco smirked, running his fingers up and down her icy arm. She flipped her grey hair over her shoulder. “It’s not just the penguins,” she said emphatically, “It’s also the seals and the whales, albatross. Their entire ecosystem is at risk!”

Cisco leaned in, trapping her against the wall, his eyes staring lustfully into her violet ones.

“…But mostly the penguins.”

Caitlin bit her lip, and Cisco knew he was getting to her.

“Mostly the penguins, yes.”

“Including the Adelie?”

Caitlin gave him a funny look. “…Yes.”

“Do you know what male Adelie penguins do for their mate? Especially when they want to mate?”

Cisco snapped his fingers, channeling Santa speed force matter. A very smooth rock fell into his hand.

Caitlin looked down at the rock and blinked. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

Cisco snapped the rock away, flashing her a wicked grin. “Maybe. Is it working?”

The precipitation in the hallway gave her straight away. She blushed.

“Maybe,” She mimicked as Cisco gazed up at the snow with awe. She was so cute.

“Hmmm….We should probably do something about that then,” Cisco said, arching his eyebrow. He opened the door to the workshop and shouted, “Ralph, you’re in charge don’t bother me, bye!” And left hastily as the elves chorused protests.

~.~

Some considerable time later, Caitlin and Cisco were each reading a book in bed when someone rang their doorbell.

Cisco got up to answer the door. 

An elf presented Cisco with an envelope with Santa’s seal.

“What’s that?” Caitlin asked, setting her novel aside.

Cisco ripped it open. An invitation.

“You have been hereby invited to participate in Santa’s Annual Gingerbread House Competition. You have been selected to compete against:”

Cisco stopped reading to snort at Barry’s scrawled  _The Clauses :)_   _You’re gonna lose :)_

He wordlessly handed the card to his wife.

Caitlin shook her head after reading it. “Oh my. That’s a challenge. Are we to accept?”

“Are you kidding? We have to. Santa’s got nothing on me.”

Caitlin hid her smile.

“What?” Cisco asked, catching it.

“Nothing.”

“No, what?” He pressed.

“Hmm just thinking that attitude is a little pompous.”

“Hey, Mother Frost. This attitude is the result of knowing my strengths and not being afraid to engage in a little smack talk against Santa just because everyone else is. There’s nothing naughty about that.”

Caitlin folded her arms over her chest. “If you say so”

~.~

“The rules are as followed,” Ralph shouted to the two teams, both dressed in elaborate aprons in front of baking stations.

The stadium was filled with elves paired off in teams of two, but Cisco knew it was their tables that had all of the attention.

With Iris’s creativity, Barry’s symbiosis with Santa Speed Force matter, Caitlin’s Snow Magic and Cisco’s engineering genius, there was no doubt their battle would be the one to watch.

“Number one: No speed from Santa, but all else is fair game.”

Cisco reached forward to grab a gumdrop when Caitlin smacked it.

_“Ow.”_

Ralph pointedly glared at Cisco. “Number two: No eating the candy or else instant disqualification.”

“That’s just nasty,” Cisco grumbled.

The snow fairies surrounding them to cheer them on seemed to agree.

“On your mark, get set, go!”

Cisco whipped together a blueprint sketch of the house.

“Wait,” Caitlin said, as she watched him draw. “That’s our house.”

“I….” Cisco blushed. “Yeah?”

Caitlin counted all of the gingerbread men and women in the sketch. “Twenty six?”

“Our family,” Cisco replied shyly. “One day.”

Caitlin kissed his cheek. “Yes, of course, but….Twenty four children???”

Cisco looked down at his blueprints and the spread of ingredients on their table. 

“I may have overdone it a bit.”

“We’re not having twenty four, Cisco. I know that number is sacred to you and Santa but that’s just not happening.”

Cisco dropped the candy canes to pepper her face with kisses. “I know that, this is just for the grandiosity of it all. Make half of those gingerbread kids snow fairies. Whatever, the point is we have to beat Barry and Iris, remember? That’s not going to happen if we stick to a boring 2.5 children, white picket fence model.”

“What ever happened to quality over quantity?”

“Hey!” Iris shouted, “Lover birds! Less kissing more making!”

“Why not do both?” Cisco quipped back, sticking his tongue out at Iris. “I’m giving you a head start Mrs. Claus. You should be grateful.”

Iris dropped her bag of icing sugar on the table, narrowing her eyes. “You listen here, Ramon—“

“Iris, pass me that gingerbread door.”

Iris stopped to give the door to her husband as Cisco snickered.

“Careful,” Caitlin warned, eyeing the Nice Meter swinging leftwards on the monitor.

Cisco shook his head, dispelling his thoughts to focus on the task at hand.

“I’ll place the gingerbread parts in place, you make the frosting?”

Caitlin rolled up her sleeves, and began to actually frost crystals into the icing. “Sure, but don’t think I don’t see what you did there.”

~.~

Cisco sat anxiously, crushing Caitlin’s hand as they waited for their gingerbread houses to be judged.

They finished just at the nick of time, creating a mansion lit up showstopper.

Cisco had no doubt in mind that their house would jingle all the way to victory, what with the beautiful snow frosting and little illuminated windows with gingerbread silhouettes.

He glanced at Barry and Iris’s house. Theirs was gorgeous too of course. All big and red with bows and glitter. But it was sooo stereotypically Santa. It was missing the ooomph, y’know?

Or so he kept telling Mother Frost, who had listened to his rant for a good half hour before quietly telling him that all the houses were beautiful and she wanted to explore what the other elves had made.

She might have had a point.

Ralph stood up on the podium, speaking into the bugle speaking system.

“The winner of our Annual Santa Land Gingerbread House Making Competition is….”

All the elves began to drum roll at their baking stations.

“Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus!!!!!”

The snow fairies began to cry.

Cisco’s jaw dropped open in the pandemonium of the stadium filling with the elves’ cheers.

“It’s  _rigged!”_  he cried as Iris began to squeal, jumping up and down in Barry’s arms.

“Ralph! You piece of good nothing lump of coal!”

Caitlin sighed, rubbing his back. “They win every year. Why are you surprised?”

Cisco spluttered, “Well, I don’t know, common sense?? Hope? Belief? Isn’t that the stuff this town runs off of?”

Mother Frost tore off a piece of candy from the roof of their house, offering it to Cisco.

He bit into it moodily.

“I had fun with you making it anyways. I never get to see you work. You have a gift.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek with a puff of cold air.

“I wanted the prize,” he pouted.

“No prize,” Caitlin shrugged. “Just me. Will that do?”

Cisco’s face softened, remembering the ache in his chest at missing her for the three weeks she was gone.

He cupped her cheek and kissed her with all his pent up frustration, forgetting their audience and the live feed broadcasting them on Santa Land TV.

“See?” Iris said to Barry, rolling her eyes at the two as she held onto her trophy. “Told you he’d be fine as long as she was here to kiss him better.”

 


End file.
